Recently, The Lab made its way to the Meatpacking District in New York City to check out Samsung’s new flagship store- Samsung 837. Samsung is calling the store the ultimate “digital playground and cultural destination,” so we knew we had to check it out for ourselves. And let me tell you, we were far from disappointed.

It has only been a few weeks since we last discussed Virtual Reality (VR), but boy – have things changed! It seems like not one day in the last month has passed without The Lab coming across a headline with the words "Virtual Reality" prominently displayed.

From new players on the scene to reimagined headset designs, the information can be overwhelming. Here, we provide a summary and analysis on the VR news you should be paying attention to most.

With the Holidays in full swing, consumers are eager to snag the perfect gift for friends and family. This undoubtedly equates to increases in both foot traffic in malls and retailers and spending budgets. Brands have an opportunity during this time to capitalize on these shopper behaviors by creating Holiday promotions that also solve common Holiday problems. We’d like to share with you a few examples of Holiday-themed point-of-sale programs we’re currently running for our clients, which solve some common Holiday problems.

As the ultimate seeker for all things innovative, Alcone’s The Lab jumped on the opportunity to attend this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held annually in Viva Las Vegas, Nevada. Never heard of CES? Do some light Google searches and you’ll soon discover why this is THE tradeshow to end all tradeshows. We’re talking over 180,000 people from all over the world coming together to witness, play with, and purchase the latest and greatest technological products produced by today’s leading masterminds and brands.

Well, with day one officially coming to a close, I found myself reevaluating my support and appreciation for virtual reality (VR). Yes, virtual reality. We’ve discussed this immersive media before and it’s essential to dissect the growing trend once again.

Four days, approximately 55,142 steps, and a whole LOT of “wow’s” later, I’m back in sunny California after attending the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. CES brings out the best of the best in tech innovation. From human carrying drones to Bluetooth-savvy pregnancy tests (you heard me!), it’s nearly impossible to narrow down a top three, but I’m up for the challenge and you, my readers, deserve an inside look at this year’s most talked about convention. So here it is…a breakdown of the tech that wow’d me at CES.

Have you ever seen ads for airlines advocating that their customers are #1 and bragging about their VIP experience? Later you proceed to go on their plane and sit in their small seat, shoved between two people snoring loudly who take up all the arm space, along with no power plugs around to charge your phone. Then a flight attendant magically appears with a tiny packet of snacks and a drink while giving you a superficial smile - which annoys you way more than it should versus if you expected this experience? I experience this every. single. time.

Our previous blog post from The Lab concluded with the takeaway that virtual reality (VR) and its viewing devices are proving to be invaluable resources when it comes to bringing a brand’s positioning and personality to life. One VR campaign, in particular, that caught our eye comes from The North Face store in South Korea

Alcone created the Retail Innovation Lab to keep a pulse on how emerging technology and innovative thinking are being used to transform the retail activation landscape.

We routinely attend conferences around the country that allow us to physically interact and engage with the market’s most recent innovations. In early November, a few of us attended thinkLA’s 2015 Trends Breakfast, that provided more than just coffee and bagels, but also some valuable information and several Google Cardboards. Read more to get our take on the emergence of Virtual Reality (VR) technology.